Edge seal assemblies for hermetic insulating glass units and vacuum insulating glass units

Abstract

A method of manufacturing VIGUs and IGUs comprises providing a first lite; providing a second lite spaced apart from the first lite to form a cavity therebetween; and encircling the lites with a one piece band. Spacers of a metal solder alloy or other reflowable material are inserted between the band and the perimeter edges of the lites. The assembly is heated in an evacuated environment, causing the spacers to melt and hermetically bond to the lites, but not until the cavity has been substantially evacuated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vacuum insulating glass unit (“VIGU”) comprising:
 a first lite; 
 a second lite spaced apart from the first lite to form a cavity therebetween;
 wherein each of the first and second lites includes
 a respective inward facing surface facing the cavity, 
 a respective outward facing surface facing away from the cavity and 
 a respective edge disposed around a periphery of the lite between the inward and outward facing surfaces and 
 
 
 one piece hermetic band encircling the first and second lites and hermetically bonded to the respective edges of the lites to hermetically seal the cavity from an environment, the cavity having a reduced-pressure atmosphere relative to the environment; 
 wherein the hermetic band, when viewed in cross section, includes
 a first bonding region at a first end of the hermetic band, the first bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the first lite, the first bonding region having
 an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the first lite and 
 an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the first lite; 
 
 a second bonding region at a second end of the hermetic band, the second bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the second lite, the second bonding region having
 an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the second lite and 
 an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the second lite; and 
 
 a center region extending continuously from the outward portion of the first bonding region to the outward portion of the second bonding region without passing through the inward portions of the first and second bonding regions and including a first section of three-dimensional corrugations disposed in a line substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A VIGU in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the center region further comprises:
 a first flat section connected at a first end to the first section of three-dimensional corrugations and having a second end; and 
 a second flat section connected at a first end to the second end of the first flat section; 
 wherein both the first and second flat sections are disposed substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites and spaced apart from one another and from the respective edges in a direction perpendicular to the respective edges such that the respective edges of the lites are disposed to a first side of the first section of corrugations and the first and second flat sections are disposed to a second side of the first section of corrugations relative to the respective edges. 
 
     
     
       3. A VIGU in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the center region further comprises:
 a first lateral section disposed between the first bonding region and the first section of three-dimensional corrugations and structurally bonded to the respective outward facing surface of the first lite; and 
 a second lateral section disposed between the second bonding region and the first section of three-dimensional corrugations that is structurally bonded to the respective outward facing surface of the second lite. 
 
     
     
       4. A VIGU in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the center region further comprises:
 at least a second section of three-dimensional corrugations disposed in a line substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites and spaced apart from the first section of three-dimensional corrugations in a direction substantially perpendicular to the repective edges of the lites; and 
 at least a third flat section connected between the first and second sections of three dimensional corrugations and spaced apart from both the first and second sections of three-dimensional corrugations in directions substantially perpendicular to the repective edges of the lites. 
 
     
     
       5. A VIGU in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a gettering material disposed on a portion of the band in communication with the cavity. 
     
     
       6. A VIGU in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein an overall width of the hermetic band, W S , measured in a direction perpendicular to the respective outward facing surfaces of the lites, is less than or equal to an overall width between the respective outward facing surfaces of the lites, W V . 
     
     
       7. An insulating glass unit (“IGU”) comprising:
 a first lite; 
 a second lite spaced apart from the first lite to form a cavity therebetween;
 wherein each of the first and second lites includes
 a respective inward facing surface facing the cavity, 
 a respective outward facing surface facing away from the cavity and 
 a respective edge disposed around a periphery of the lite between the inward and outward facing surfaces and 
 
 
 a one piece hermetic band encircling the first and second lites and hermetically bonded to the respective edges of the lites to hermetically seal the cavity from an environment, the cavity having a modified-composition atmosphere relative to the environment; 
 wherein the hermetic band, when viewed in cross section, includes
 a first bonding region at a first end of the hermetic band, the first bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the first lite, the first bonding region having
 an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the first lite and 
 an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the first lite; 
 
 a second bonding region at a second end of the hermetic band, the second bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the second lite, the second bonding region having
 an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the second lite and 
 an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the second lite; and 
 
 a center region extending continuously from the outward portion of the first bonding region to the outward portion of the second bonding region without passing through the inward portions of the first and second bonding regions and including a first section of three-dimensional corrugations disposed in a line substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites. 
 
 
     
     
       8. An IGU in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the center region further comprises:
 a first flat section connected at a first end to the first section of three-dimensional corrugations and having a second end; and 
 a second flat section connected at a first end to the second end of the first flat section; 
 wherein both the first and second flat sections are disposed substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites and spaced apart from one another and from the respective edges in a direction perpendicular to the respective edges such that the respective edges of the lites are disposed to a first side of the first section of corrugations and the first and second flat sections are disposed to a second side of the first section of corrugations relative to the respective edges. 
 
     
     
       9. An IGU in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the center region further comprises:
 a first lateral section disposed between the first bonding region and the first section of three-dimensional corrugations and structurally bonded to the respective outward facing surface of the first lite; and 
 a second lateral section disposed between the second bonding region and the first section of three-dimensional corrugations that is structurally bonded to the respective outward facing surface of the second lite. 
 
     
     
       10. An IGU in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the center region further comprises:
 at least a second section of three-dimensional corrugations disposed in a line substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites and spaced apart from the first section of three-dimensional corrugations in a direction substantially perpendicular to the repective edges of the lites; and 
 at least a third flat section connected between the first and second sections of three dimensional corrugations and spaced apart from both the first and second sections of three-dimensional corrugations in directions substantially perpendicular to the repective edges of the lites. 
 
     
     
       11. An IGU in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising a gettering material disposed on a portion of the band in communication with the cavity. 
     
     
       12. An IGU in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein an overall width of the hermetic band, W S , measured in a direction perpendicular to the respective outward facing surfaces of the lites, is less than or equal to an overall width between the respective outward facing surfaces of the lites, W V .